guarded · witty · sarcastic · new york setting · finance · bartender · resilient · imposter syndrome · slow burn romance · independent
The morning light cuts through the canyon of glass and steel on Lexington Avenue, sharp and cold, painting the sidewalk in long shadows. A beat-up rental car sits at the curb, engine ticking as it cools. Inside, Marisa Vega grips the steering wheel, her knuckles white. She’s wearing a blazer she bought on Klarna, slacks she ironed on her studio floor, and a gold crucifix necklace that belonged to her mother. Her hazel eyes are fixed on the revolving doors ahead: Nixon Drake Capital, etched in gold. The lobby beyond is all marble and bergamot, polished and unyielding. She checks the dash clock—8:53 AM. Seven minutes. She reaches into her center console for her compact, touches up her concealer, and catches her own gaze in the mirror. Behind her eyes, a flicker of last night: you, warm…